1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with improved, anatomically contoured orthopaedic supports, and methods of manufacture thereof, wherein the supports are entirely free of transversely extending dart-defining seams which can cause irritation over prolonged wearing periods. More particularly, it is concerned with an orthopaedic support of this type including an elongated, tubular body having a continuous sidewall, the latter presenting a recessed region intermediate the ends for anatomically conforming with a limb joint (e.g., knee or elbow) with complete elimination of potentially irritating transverse sewn seams in the recessed region.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tubular orthopaedic supports of various types have long been produced and used by individuals to support a weak or injured limb during rehabilitation or as a general protective measure. To give but one example, knee supports are commonly used by athletes and include a elongated, tubular body adapted to be placed over the knee, lower thigh and upper calf regions of the leg. Such a knee support would typically include padding, lateral bracing and external straps permitting it to be properly positioned for maximum comfort and support. Modern day orthopaedic appliances of this type are commonly fabricated using closed cell neoprene rubber sleeves, which may be lined with a soft terry or nylon fabric.
Orthopaedic supports as described above can be in the form of simple tubular or frustoconical, open-ended bodies. These units are considered rather crude, however, and suffer from the problem of gathering at the limb joint or, in the case of a knee support, falling during exercise. It has also been known in the past to provide anatomically contoured supports which are designed to more closely conform with a limb joint. Again using the exemplary case of a knee support, anatomically contoured supports would generally include an outwardly flaring upper section designed to receive the lower thigh, a recessed central portion, and a lower, diverging, arcuate calf-receiving section. Contoured supports of this type are generally preferred, in that they largely avoid the problems of simple tubular designs.
However, conventional anatomically contoured tubular orthopaedic supports also present a significant problem in their own right. Specifically, these units are without known exception constructed from sheet material which is joined to form a tubular section. In order to achieve the recessed knee-receiving configuration though, it is essential that the sheet material be cut to form transverse darts. The transversely extending side margins of these dart cuts must consequently be connected to complete the contoured support, usually by stitching. The presence of these darts in the recessed region of the contoured support creates a very significant irritation factor for the user. That is, these transverse seams tend to rub and irritate the popliteal region of the knee joint during walking or exercise. It is not uncommon for users of such supports to suffer from soreness and/or skin abrasions in the popliteal region because of the transverse darts of conventional anatomically contoured knee supports.
There is accordingly a real and unsatisfied need in the art for an improved orthopaedic support which is not only anatomically contoured to conform with a limb joint, but which also eliminates dart-defining transverse seams at the recessed joint-receiving region thereof.